Autochef
Reviews Summary Sinclair User Issue 6 IF YOU FANCY yourself as a financial whizz-kid, test your skills with two new business games from CCS. Airline has good animated bar charts and histograms and is full of unexpected hazards. We were hi-jacked by the PLO but managed to make a profit at the end of the first year. In the next year, however, we overspent on staff and faced the prospect of resigning. There are some pertinent decisions to be made and the game provides a useful introduction to the business world and its terminology. The aim of Airline is to take-over British Airways as soon as possible. In Autochef, it is to buy Trusthouse Forte by the judicious management of a chain of restaurants and fast food outlets. There are three levels of difficulty, although even on the easy level we lost a fair amount of money, and it helps to have a pen and some paper to keep track of cost forecasts, rent, and other vital factors. The games cost £4.75 each, and are available from CCS, 14 Langton Way, London SE3 7TL. Your Computer Issue 14 Writer: Boris Allan Two simulation games are available from Case Computer Simulations. Autochef allows you to work your way up as manager of a small catering company. At first you have to avoid being taken over by Trust House Forte — later if you survive you can try to take over Forte yourself. Airline is exactly the same as Autochef except that you are running a small airline. Verdict Spelling terrible, and a poor simulation. Popular Computing Weekly Issue 22 Writer: TB One of the most successful types of boardgame has been the business simulation, witness Acquire, Monopoly, et al. The ZX81 is admirably suited to this type of game — more so, in my opinion, than to the graphic arcade game, excepting the efforts of a very small, distinguished minority. Airline puts you in the managing director's seat. Your task is to build the company into a viable business, with the help of bar charts, histograms and vicarious news flashes. You must use this information, on crewing levels, freighting profits and so on, to make decisions. As in real life, well laid plans are affected by outside events, in this case hi-jacks and crashes. The program is broadly realistic. For instance, until capital has been built up to a reasonable level, airplanes cannot be bought, but only leased. Details such as this help to build a convincing insight into the business world. Autochef is not some new cooking device, but the name of a restaurant chain. Again, you are in charge, and given information relevant to your business. This time you decide what type of establishment to run, what to charge for meals, whether to give your staff pay rises and so on. Summary Both programs feature attractive layouts and give the player a good sense of being in control of a big business. Although not detailed enough for the serious student of Business Affairs, the games are an ideal simulation for the interested teenager, and good plain fun for everybody. Category:ZX81 Games Category:CCS Category:Sinclair User Reviews Category:Spectrum Games Category:Your Computer Reviews